Creating Affective Bonds Protects Children and Teenagers from Abuse

The Initial Education Program of Carlos Slim Foundation (FCS), in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Chiapas, offered a conference to encourage families to prevent child abuse.

Mexico occupies the third place in violence against children and teenagers worldwide. Therefore, promoting the importance of responsible child rearing is essential to safeguard the integrity of children and teenagers in every moment.

According to information from the “Preliminary Manual on Prevention of Child Abuse in the Family,” prepared by the National Center for Child and Adolescent Health, 75% of children have undergone some type of disciplinary action involving violence.

Facing this reality, Carlos Slim Foundation developed, through its Initial Education Program, a series of activities aimed at sensitizing parents, caregivers and general population about the importance of raising our children respectfully as an education strategy. For example, participants are thought discipline alternatives to avoid recurring to violence.

As part of the activities to protect minors, the conference “Affective Bonding as a Protective and Healing Factor” was held in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Chiapas, which seeks to impact more than 1,200 children and teenagers.

Francisca Castillo Hernandez, Research and Content Development Coordinator for the Initial Education Program, said: “Children are continuously exposed to abuse, whether psychological, physical or sexual. Therefore, it is necessary as a society, to raise awareness among adults about the upbringing and the importance of respecting and safeguarding the integrity of children and adolescents at all times.” Castillo Hernandez also pointed out the need to strengthen the affective bond of the children with the adults responsible for their care, as well as type of parenting that favor the straightening and deepening of this bond, which will become in the healing factor when children have suffered some form of abuse.

She emphasized that to the extent that adults change the way they interpret the behavior of minors, without seeing it as a personal provocation, one can understand their real motivations, and in that way, is easier to use disciplinary actions that does not divide or attempt against the relationship.

For more information on the activities of the Carlos Slim Foundation’s Initial Education Program, go to www.educacioninicial.mx.